Berrymuir Head

Crag features

This area is just south of the village of Downies, 9km from Aberdeen, and comprises a series of walls facing east and north, mostly above non-tidal ledges and platforms.

Rock is generally quick to dry and free from nesting birds. Routes up to 30m in length.

Must Dos :

The Niche VS 4c

The Paranormal E3 5c

Upside Downies E5 6b

Approach notes

The sea nose is tidal. Access is either by a scary grass ridge to the north, or an abseil down the line of Upside Downies (or at low tide, by descending to the south and walking back round the sea nose).

Guidebooks

Just to give some useful information to visitors to this excellent crag - the current guidebook grades are mostly correct for first time onsights, even if repeated ascents will make them feel easier. Just to confirm:
Downies Syndrome E4 6a *** - at least a full grade harder than B and TP - harder cruxes, two of them, steepier, pumpier and spaced gear. Modern small gear makes no difference as it's medium cams that are crucial.
Execretor E4 5c ** - solid at this grade, shortlived and reasonable protection but slopey and pokey.
Auto Da Fe E4 5c *** - soft but still a full adjectival grade harder than B and TP. Easy 5c but very steep, committing, and with possible groundfall if one muffed anything near the break. An off-route side-runner in the block of The Flatulent Alien is just that.
X-Crack E3 5c ** - failed on the ledge in hot conditions but only a couple of moves and clearly a grade easier than DS, Ex, and ADF.
Bobalouie E3 5c ** - easy warm-up for ADF, wild but steady, shortlived, and very obvious gear.
The Paranormal E3 5c *** - easy warm-up for DS, a couple of bouldery moves off the ground, then easy and safe E2 5b with good rests (both B and TP hard sections are like doing an easier version of half of Downies Syndrome).
QuickDraw McGraw E2 5b * - desperately strenuous and a fairly good value E2. Fiend - 01/Jul/13

The routes from Bobalouie through to Flatulent Alien did not have any birds on them this year and in all likelihood this is always the case. The wall with X-Crack and Nighthawk did not have any birds nesting on it but there was the odd fulmar on the ledges at the top and negotiations to pass may be necessary. The wall with Paranormal and Roof Roof on it has martins nesting in the cracks of the routes, fulmars and gulls on the ledges and puffins somewhere in the bank above. This wall is probably best left for late or early in the year. Nest debris is not really a problem after the nesting season though. gforce - 31/Aug/10